Loveland's Rep. Brian DelGrosso settles with minority role in Colorado House

New Colorado House make-up means less lawmaking power for Loveland representative

By Tom Hacker Reporter-Herald Staff Writer

Posted:
11/08/2012 09:38:59 PM MST

Brian DelGrosso

Tuesday's tectonic shift in the configuration of the Colorado Legislature, with Democrats controlling both the House and Senate, leaves Rep. Brian DelGrosso, R-Loveland, having won a battle while losing the war.

Voters re-elected DelGrosso to his House District 51 seat with 55 percent of the vote over Loveland lawyer Mark Shaffer.

But he'll not have the lawmaking clout he has enjoyed during his prior term, when he held the chairmanship of the House Finance Committee and a seat on the powerful Joint Budget Committee.

Those positions both evaporated on election night, when Democrats took a 37-26 advantage in the House, erasing the slim, one-seat GOP majority that had given DelGrosso his powerful role.

"That's one of those things that happens with the Legislature," Del Grosso said Thursday. "Whoever has the majority has the most seats on the JBC. That's just the way it goes. ... It was a great thing for Loveland to be able to have that representation there."

DelGrosso said his legislative experience tells him that partisan differences in the House are magnified beyond proportion by squabbles over a few issues.

"At least 85 percent of the time, we're working together," he said. "The governor signed, what, 400 bills last year? And most of those were results of the work we do together. "

DelGrosso said he welcomed serving during the next session with Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, selected Thursday by the House Democratic caucus to become the next House speaker.

"I've worked extremely well with the speaker-elect for the past two years," he said. "We have a very good relationship."